1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to CD-ROM (Compact Disc ReadOnly Memory) servers, and in particular to a method and a multiprotocol network CD-ROM server to provide for users, connected to different computer networks using various network protocols, shared access to information from any CD-ROM disc inserted into a connected CD-ROM drive.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Today, all kinds of information is available on CD-ROM discs: from software applications, image collections, illustrations and multimedia shows to encyclopedias, statistics, etc. Companies can use compact discs at low cost to store their own sales material, presentations, documentation, or any other company specific information. One problem is to make all these resources available to all users as in an organization. Users may be located in different workgroups, with different needs, and may even be using different computer systems with different software environment platforms.
CD-ROMs can be shared in many ways. In a small group of people, discs can be interchanged between computers with CD-ROM drives. In workgroups, one computer with a CD-ROM drive can be shared, giving several users access to the currently installed disc. CD-ROM drives and towers may even be connected to an existing file server. A regular PC could also be dedicated as a CD-ROM server.
CD-ROM sharing methods described above have limitations and cause problems. With local CD-ROM drives on every computer, no control over all CD-ROMs is possible, and no all-time access, no unlimited network, no multiple platform support, no flexible placing of CD-ROM drives (just local), and no easy disc updates and administration are provided. If workgroup sharing of computers with CD-ROM drives is used, the same problems and limitations remain, as if local CD-ROM drives on every computer are used, except that the unlimited network and the flexible placing of CD-ROM drives are within a workgroup. As described above, the CD-ROM drives can be connected to an existing file server. If this configuration is used, control over all CD-ROMs is provided, the all time access depends on the server, the network is unlimited, the multiple platform support depends on the server, the flexibility in placing CD-ROM drives is at the file server, and it depends on the server, whether easy disc updates and administration are possible. If a regular PC is dedicated as a CD-ROM server control over all CD-ROMs is possible. All-time access and unlimited network are provided, but multiple platform support is not provided by default, and no flexible placing of CD-ROM drives is possible since a PC is needed as server.
State of the art CD-ROM servers intended to provide users connected to a network are completely dependent on the functionality of a regular file server, and consequently they can not work as a stand-alone device.